Michigan in the News

John Marshall, assistant professor of art and design, and architecture; Max Shtein, associate professor of materials science and engineering, macromolecular science and engineering, chemical engineering, and art and design; and Karl Daubmann, associate professor of architecture, spoke with X-OLOGY about the inter-disciplinary class, SmartSurfaces.

In an article on the logistics of organic farming, Scientific American quoted Catherine Badgley, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and research scientist for geological sciences and the Museum of Paleontology.

George Fulton, director of U-M's Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics, told WWJ, "The Oakland County economy is undergoing a revival after suffering through the difficult years of the 2000s."

MABEL, the walking robot, continues to develop ever more sophisticated abilities. It now can recover from a stumble like a person, making it the world's first robot with a trip reflex, U-M researchers say. This video shows how MABEL is able to step onto and over obstacles in its path, using only a sense of touch. Read more about MABEL's latest accomplishments.

New multi-cultural program M-STEM sees its first graduatesAmong the more than 950 undergraduate engineers starting the next chapter of their lives this week is the first graduating class of a multicultural program at the College of Engineering called Michigan-Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics. M-STEM aims to help promising high school students with diverse socio-economic, geographic, cultural, gender and ethnic backgrounds make the transition to college, and thereby excel in their education.

Advisory committee named for LSA dean searchProvost Phil Hanlon has named a search advisory committee for the dean of LSA. Paul N. Courant, university librarian and dean of libraries, will chair the committee that has been charged with conducting a broad search and presenting an unranked slate of recommended candidates by winter term 2013. LSA Dean Terrence J. McDonald is stepping down Aug. 31, 2013, after 10 years in the position.

Zell Lurie Institute leads Midwest's foremost venture capital eventLed by the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium will showcase innovation within the state and surrounding region on May 15-16 by bringing together "Best in the Midwest" companies with leading venture capitalists, angel investors and institutional investors.

The Michigan Difference

Public service in the city
Serving in the office of Detroit Mayor Dave Bing gave Elizabeth Palazzola and Julie Schneider a chance to help the city’s land use, housing and sustainability problems as the Ford School's inaugural David Bohnett Public Service Fellows. The program aims to give aspiring public servants experience with city government. It continues with incoming fellows Diana Flora and Stephanie Chang.

Coming up…

Did You Know?

The Duderstadt Center is home to the 3D Lab, which provides the U-M community with access to high-end technologies revolving around computer modeling and visualization of multi-dimensional environments.